


Blinking Lights

by Geli



Category: The Sentinel (TV)
Genre: Christmas, Established Relationship, Holidays, M/M, TSCC concrit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-02
Updated: 2019-11-02
Packaged: 2021-01-20 19:36:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21287057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Geli/pseuds/Geli
Summary: Holiday challenge at The Sentinel chat concrit. Christmas is full of traditions and rituals, one of it is to set up a tree. With blinking lights against the darkest time of the year.
Relationships: Jim Ellison/Blair Sandburg
Kudos: 14
Collections: TSCC 11: Holidays





	Blinking Lights

Three crates were spread out on the carpet in the living room of the loft. They smelled slightly musty and Jim had to sneeze already twice. Or maybe it was the big pinetree in the corner, with it's intense terpenes odor. 

He squinted at Blair sitting on the ground in a big Norwegian sweater, searching through all the boxes.

“I'm sure I put it with the rest of it!” Blair sounded annoyed.

Jim smirked. “Obviously not, Chief.”

Blair resented the remark with a huff and got up to fetch an extension cable from his room. 

Jim lowered himself in front of the biggest crate and began to unpack it carefully, setting every small box aside. They were full of delicate tree ball ornaments and hand crafted decorations from around the world. Some of it had come from his father, ornaments his mom had bought. And then there was the weird stuff Blair had collected. Some of it didn't really look like Christmas tree decorations, but were pretty and shiny enough to pass for it.

Blair came back and crawled under the tree dragging the line of lights with him. He fumbled to get the extension into the wall socket with the help of murmured swearing. Jim got a good view of his butt and his colourfully striped socks. When Blair crawled out again backwards his hair was full of green needles. Jim could barely suppress a grin.

Blair sighed. He felt already exhausted from setting up the tree and they hadn't even put up the lights yet. He needed some morale support.

“How about some mulled wine?” 

Jim agreed with a nod “Sure!”

The pot with the heated wine and spices stood on the stove and the smell was already alluring. Blair fetched them two mugs and settled next to Jim.

The string of coloured lights were blinking slowly on the ground. Looking over the tableau of strewn around silk paper, golden and red ornaments, the smell of the fresh cut pinetree, Jim felt a wave of sentimental emotions. He threw his free arm around Blair to tuck him into his side. Feeling invited Blair snuggled against him and sipped from his mulled wine.

“This going to look so good with the new lights!” Blair enthused.

With his mug empty and new energy, Blair picked up the lights switch and turned them off for now. He weaved the tiny bulbs into the tree branches while Jim sorted the decorations on the floor.

By unspoken agreement, Jim hung up his old ball ornaments and Blair his own weird collection. He explained every piece to Jim and where it had come from and who had made it.

Therefore it took Blair a lot longer hanging up everything from his boxes. Jim was so lost in the memories of his early childhood and how they had decorated the tree together with their mom. He felt himself getting maudlin and stepped back.

“Try the lights now!” Jim suggested.

Blair switched them on, changing the settings until the multiple colours meandered slowly around the tree.

“More Glueh wine!” Blair decided for himself and filled up their mugs.

They settled close next each other on the couch and contemplated their work. A collection of both their pasts united in one colourful Christmas tree.

**Author's Note:**

> Mulled wine is a beverage usually made with red wine along with various mulling spices like cinnamon sticks, cloves, star aniseed, citrus, sugar and at times vanilla pod. It is served hot or warm and is alcoholic, although there are non-alcoholic versions of mulled wine. It is a traditional drink especially around Christmas.


End file.
